Tie-plate



A. MORRISON.

TIE PLATE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-2, 1920.

Patented Oct. 26, 1920.

-73- SPREAD HEPTH 545E VII/07W Zlwuentoz QMM a QM .1 4 61mm ANDREW MORRISON, 0F PENN TOWNSHIP, ALLEGHENY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA,

ASSIGNOR T0 DILWORTH, PORTER 86 COMPANY, INC., VANIA, A GGRPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

01E PITTSBURGH, PENNSYL- TIE-PLATE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August a, 1920. Serial No. erodes-z.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ANDREW Monnrson, a citizen of the United States, residing at Penn township, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Tie- Plates, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

The present invention relates broadly to railways and more particularly to tie plates for use in road construction.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a tie plate which may be easily produced by rolling and which will embed itself in the fibers of the tie to prevent lateral movement of the rails without producing any objectionable cutting action on such fibers.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a tie plate having a series of projections on the lower face thereof, which result in a gradual change of cross sectional area of the tie plate and which are so proportioned that. their different dimensions bear predetermined definite relations to each other.

The foregoing and other objects, together with their attendant advantages, will be apparent as the invention becomes better understood, by reference, to the accompanying specification and drawings forming a part thereof, it being premised that changes may be made in the various details and the manner of operation, within the scope of the.

appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention. 4

Figure 1 is a sectional view through one form of tie plate constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fi 2 is a similar view of a slightly modified ornr oftie plate;

Fig. 3 is a plan View of a tie plate havin a portion of a rail in position thereon; and

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view.

Referring more particularly to the drawings there is illustrated a portion of a-tie 2 having in operative position thereon a tie plate 3 which is tapered throughout the major portion of its length to provide a construction somewhat similar to that disclosed inthe patent to Clark No. 529,854 of Novemher 27th, 1894. With this type of construction, the resultant wheel load produced by the wheel load and the wheel thrust, as clearly indicated by the arrows in Fig. 4, is counteracted by the relatively thicker portions of the tie plate whereby breaking thereof is prevented.

The tie plate is preferably provided with the usual rail abutment or shoulder 4 and with the spike openings 5.

In order to prevent lateral movement or spreading of the rails, it is necessary to provide the tie engaging surface of the tie plate with a series of projections adapted to embed themselves in the tie fibers. By experiment I have found that projections having a base width from the center line of each of the projections, as clearly shown in Fig. i, to the termination of the inclined portion on at least one side of the center line, greater than twice the depth of the projections at the highest point but less than the distance between the highest points of adjacent projections, is highly desirable and eff cient.

In Fig. 1 the tie plate 3 is illustrated as provided with three projections 6, each extending transversely and continuously throughout the entire width of the tie plate. One of the projections 6 is so positioned that the center line thereof lies directly under the line of junction of the rail abutment 4 with the main body of the tie plate 3. The other projections are so positioned that the center lines thereof will coincide respectively with the center line'of a rail 7 placed thereon, and with the opposite edge of the rail.

This particular construction is highly Patented Oct. 26. 1e2o.

desirable in that reinforcements are pro- V vided at the points of greatest strain. The abrupt change in section produced by forming the rail abutment 4, produces a weak point at the line of junction between the abutment and the body of the tie plate, which 1 point is reinforced by the projection 6 located immediately therebeneath with the greatest body of metal effectively positioned to preventtheplate from cracking.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 4:,

.it will be apparentthat the base width of each of the projections from the center line to the termination of the inclined portion thereof, is greater than twice the depth of the projection. Due to this construction 'the angle of inclination is comparatively slight and the projections embed themselves without exerting any cutting action on the tie fibers. In addition, they may be effectively formed on the plate without producing any abrupt change in section such as produced by the teeth or spurs of the Clark patent before referred to. This construction is important in that in rolling a tie plate each abrupt change in section produces the equivalent of an initial fissure in the plate. Inasmuch as the projections extend continu- I ously throughout the width of the plate,

.mainv body 'of the plate by a gradually curved body of material to prevent the for mation of abrupt changes of area.

Vl ith both of the forms of invention described, it will be apparent that the projections alternate with intermediate flat bearing surfaces 9, which limit the extent to which the projections may embed themselves in the tie, and form large areas of contact with the tie surface, thereby firmly supporting the rails in position.

The advantages of the present invention arise from the construction of the tie plate with the projections proportioned and positioned to exert a maximum reinforcing action and effectively prevent lateral movev ment of the tie plates.

I claim:

1. A tie plate having a lower tie ing surface provided with a series of projections extending continuously through the major portion of the width of the plate, and each having a base width greater than twice the depth thereof but less than the distance engagbetween the greatest depths of adjacent projections, substantially as described.

2. A 'tie plate'having a lower tie engaging surface provided with a series of pro-. jections extending continuously across the major portion of the width of the plate, and each having a base width from the center line thereof to the termination of the inclined portion greater than twice the depth of the projection but less than the distance between the center lines of adjacent projections to provide fiat bearing surfaces there between, said projections being positioned to directly underlie the edges and center line of the rail supported by the tie plate, substantially as described.

3. A tapered tie plate having a lower tie engaging surface provided with a series of projections extending continuously across the major portion of the width of the plate, and each having a base width from the center line thereof to the termination of the inclined portion greater than twice the depth of the projection but less than the distance between the center lines of adjacent projections to provide fiat bearing surfaces therebetween, said projections being positioned to directly underlie the edges and center line of the rail supported by the tie plate, substantially as described.

4. A tapered tie place having a lower tie engaging surface provided with a series of projections extending continuously across the major portion of the width of the plate, and each having a base width from the center line thereof to the termination of the inclined portion on one side of the center line greater than twice the depth of the projection but less than the distance. between the center lines of adjacent projections to provide flat bearing surfaces therebetween, said projections being positioned to directly underlie the edges and center line of the rail supported by the tie plate, substantially as described. I

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set in hand.

y ANDREW MORRISON. 

